13 January 1934 – 5 January 2024

Professor Stanisław Wężyk was born on January 13, 1934, in Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland. He completed his high school education at the local high school and went on to receive his M.Sc. degree in zootechnics from the Agricultural University in Kraków in 1956. He earned his PhD in 1963 and habilitation in 1970, also from the Agricultural University in Kraków. In 1988, he was awarded the title of professor, and in 2002, he was conferred the title of doctor honoris causa by the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.

Prof. Wężyk was a long-time, particularly distinguished, and valued researcher at The National Research Institute of Animal Production in Kraków. From 1970 to 1983, he served as the institute’s deputy director for scientific research. The subjects of his research included genetic improvement programs for poultry, poultry breeding and rearing, maintenance conditions, production systems, aetiology and welfare, poultry nutrition, quality of poultry products, profitability and organization of poultry production, as well as issues of agricultural policy in Poland and the European Union.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Prof. Wężyk made numerous scientific trips. In 1983, he was a ‘visiting professor’ at the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture in Grub, Germany, where he conducted research on methods of genetic improvement of poultry. His research journeys also took him to Great Britain (1982, 1984), Germany (1983), the USA (1981, 1994), and Italy (1989, as an FAO expert). At the beginning of the 21st century, he visited the UK (2003, 2004) and participated in scientific and practical internships in countries such as France, USSR, Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, France, and Spain.

Prof. Wężyk was not only a scientific authority but also an outstanding organizer of research work. His talents, innovation, and professional vision were instrumental in creating strategies for scientific activities and setting directions for the development of Polish agriculture, especially in poultry breeding and production.

Professor Wężyk contributed significantly to progress in Polish poultry farming and was instrumental in the preservation of cultural heritage through the breeding of species threatened with extinction. He was a member of many zootechnical scientific societies, both national and international. He authored more than 1,000 publications (books, scripts, articles), numerous expert reports, and several patents. He was also an active social activist in the poultry industry in Poland and served for many years as President of the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers. He was a legend in the Polish poultry industry, serving as long-time Vice President and Honorary Member of WPSA, as well as being a wonderful man, friend, educator, and true authority in genetics and methods of breeding and rearing poultry.

In addition, Prof. Wężyk had passions beyond science, including his interest in military history and skiing, as well as painting and writing occasional poems.